Magnetic fastener



Oct. 15, 1957 L. M. Moen-:ADAM 2,809,411

MAGNETIC FASTENER Filed Deo. 27, 1954 Unite 'mice MAGNETIC FASTENER Leon Mar-colf Moghadam, Washington, D. C.; now by change of name to Leo Markof-Moghndam Application December 27, 1954, Serial N o. 477,824

1 Claim. (Cl. 24-203) This invention relates to fastening means and more particularly to a slide fastener which utilizes magnetic attraction 'as the holding means. This application is a continuation in part of my earlier applications, Serial No. 457,101, led September 20, 1954, for Fastener Strips, and Serial No. 458,942, tiled September 28, 1954, for Locking Mechanism of the Magnetic Fastener Link, all now abandoned.

lt is well known that numerous dithculties have been encountered in connection with the use of slide fasteners which are generally known as zippers Clothing frequently becomes entangled within the engaging means thereby rendering it most difficult to operate the slider. Furthermore, when the fastener elements become improperly engaged, it is exceedingly ditlcult to restart the slider. In connection with cold weather clothing, other disadvantages have been attendant with the use of slide fasteners. Due to the bulk of clothing worn in arctic regions it is ditl'icult, if not impossible, to operate the slider of the ordinary zipper. Furthermore, the fastening elements frequently become frozen and the garment must be thawed out before it is possible to release the fastener.

The present invention provides a fastener means which is similar in effect to the slide fastener but which relies upon magnetic attraction as an aligning and fastening means. By virtue of the invention described herein, means is provided for firmly retaining the garment parts in closed position and yet permitting the ready disassociation of the parts, when desired. It is recognized that the use of magnets as retaining means is in itself old in the art. However, such prior art magnetic fastening means did not prevent misalignment of the fastener elements, nor did such prior art fastening means provide an additional holding element to secure the fastening means in the plane of magnetic attraction. Thus, the primary advantages of the present invention are the provision of additional means which is operative to provide a mechanical lock between the magnetically attractable elements.

According to the present invention, two series of fastener means comprised partially of magnets and magnetically attractable material respectively are suitably secured to stringers or strips of cloth and the cloth strips are sewn, or otherwise secured, to the material of the garment. By providing a plurality of fastener means Which are not rigidly interconnected, the flexibility of the garment is retained. There is provided an interengaging tongue and groove connection between each fastener means of one series and its associated fastener means of the other series. This tongue and groove connection is provided in a plane parallel to the plane of attraction. This mechanical interlock is operated by a simple manual movement of the cloth strips after the strips have rst been roughly aligned in overlapping relationship. When the fastener means are in engaged position with the tongue within the groove, it is exceedingly difficult to separate the fastener means and a securely fastened garment is thus provided.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide fastener structure which utilizes magnetic attraction as one securing means and incorporates a mechanical interlock to insure a firm grip between the fastening elements.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a closable fastener structure which is particularly well `adapted for cold weather clothing in that the fastener means are readily operated and there is small chance that they will become frozen in the locked position.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of stringers or strips having the presently disclosed fastener means secured thereto,

Fig. 2 is a plan View `of one of the elements of one of the series of fastener means,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the fastener element shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a mating fastener element of the other series of fastener means,

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View along the line 6 6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the respective fastener means in the partially locked roughly aligned position, and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the fastener means in fully locked position with the mechanical interlock engaged.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views there is shown at 1 in Fig. l a portion of a garment to which is stitched as at 2, a strip 3 having secured thereto a plurality of fastener elements 4. Sirnilarly secured to garment flap 5 is a strip 6, having a plurality of mating fastener elements 7 secured thereto. The fastener parts may be secured at any desired intervals along the strips 3 and 6, depending upon the particular garment with which the fastener is used.

The fastener elements 4 are shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. There is provided a plastic frame S for a rectangularly shaped magnet 9. Frame 8 is provided with beveled faces around three sides thereof, and the fourth or inner side (with respect to the garment) is provided with an undercut groove 1t), as shown in section in Fig. 7. lt is evident that the particular shape of the frame S and magnet 9 is of no significance and these parts could, in fact, be made in Iany desired configuration to suit any operational requirement.

Mating fastener part 7 is shown in Figs. 5 to 8. There is provided a plastic frame 11 having an upstanding flange 12, Fig. 7, extending along the Aouter edge thereof. Frame 11 is further provided with a rectangular recessed portion 13 which is shaped to tit a plate 14 of magnetically attractable material. It is readily apparent that the particular configuration of frame 11 and plate 14 is a matter of design, it, of course, being desirable to make the plate 14 of substantially the same configuration as magnet 9 for maximum magnetic attraction without a waste of material.

The distance between ange 12 and the plate 14 is greater than the vdistance on fastener element 4 between the inner grooved edge and the magnet 9.

Suitably secured within a recess in flange 12 is an elongated resilient tongue 15 which is adapted to t within the groove 1t? in the mating fastener part 4. As shown in Figs. 7 and S, the fastener part 7 is so formed that the tongue 15 on flange 12 does not engage the recess 10 when the magnet 9 and plate 14 are in exact alignment. It is necessary to shift the fastener parts 4 and 7 laterally with respect to one another to effect engagevment and-a mechanical `interlock between the tongue and groove 10.

The purpose of having the frames 8 and 11 larger than the rectangularly shaped magnet 9 and plate 14, respectively5'and `ofvhaving the edges of the frames/beveled, is to facilitate the rough alignment of the Yfasteners 4 with respecty to fasteners 7 Vas the fasteners are overlapped as will be described.

In operation, the garment parts which are to be fastened are merely held close to one another withV the fasteners overlapping one another, and magnetic attraction causes the magnet 9 and plate 14 to be drawn together. The fastener elements thus assume the position shown in Fig. 7 and are roughly aligned. By graspingthe garment parts and shifting one part laterally with respect to the other part, the fastener elements will assumetherrposition shown in Fig. 8 with the ton-gue 15 engaged within the groove 10. It can be seenthat in this Y,position the fastener elements are retained in place and both Aby magnetic attraction (though the magnetic portions are partially offset) 'and by the mechanical interlock tongue and groove connection.

Y It will lbe further noted'that in final fastened position with the tongues and grooves engaged and forming a mechanical interlock, the flanges 12 positivelyV prevent separation of the parts in a lateralrdirection.

tIt'can be readily seen that the present invention is well adapted for use in connection with cold-weather clothing. The fastener elements are readily engaged by magnetic attraction and the tongue and groove connection between the fastener parts is easily effected by simply shifting the garment parts.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in :the light of the above teachings, without departing from the spirit 4of the invention as defined in the following claim. Y

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: Y

lIna closable fastener structure of the class described, comprising in combination, a pair 'of Stringer webs for attachment to Iadjacent edges of an article to be closed,

a series of fastener means secured to one' of said Stringer webs, each of said series of fastener means having an engaging face consisting of an inner portion of non-magnetic material and a porti-on adjacent thereto of mag-Y netic material, the edges of lsaid inner portion having a groove formed therein, a complementary series of fastener means secured to the other of said Stringer webs, each of said last-named serieshaving an engaging face consisting of an Vouter portion Iof non-magnetic material, and an adjacent 'portion of magnetic'materi-al, an upstanding llangeion the edge of said outer portion and an inwardly extending tongue on said flange complementary to said groove, the magnetic material on the engaging faces'of atleast one ofthe series of fastener means being a permanent magnet,the distance between said inner edge and the adjacent magnetic material in the first named series being less than the ydistance between the flange on the outer portion and the adjacent magnetic material on the-other series, whereby when the VStringer web yand fastener means are overlapped with the engaging faces of one seriestdisposed above the engaging faces of the other series the magnetic portions of Veach will become magnetically joined :to each other throughout theirrface Y areas to align one series of fastener means with respect tothe yother so that the fastener means can 'be slid'laterally on each other to eiect a mechanical interlock of said tongues and grooves but with Vthe magneticsurfaces of one series being ,partially offset with respect to the other.y

References Cited in the le of 'this' patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 2,648,884 Loefboro Aug. 1s, 

